Russian President Putin held an annual press conference by video to answer hot questions at home and abroad. Among them, the statements about the coronavirus epidemic, Russian-US relations, and Russian-Chinese relations have attracted public attention.
Analysts believe that Putin’s speech conveyed confidence in epidemic prevention and control and national development to the public on the epidemic issue, showed a willingness to dialogue with the United States in Russian-US relations, and expressed a high evaluation of the current situation of the development of bilateral relations in Russian-Chinese relations.
Pass on confidence in responding to the epidemic
Putin admitted that the coronavirus epidemic has a serious adverse impact on Russia and the world. Russia’s GDP is expected to decline by 3.6% in 2020, unemployment is expected to reach 6.3%, and real wage growth is expected to be only 1.5%. However, he also stressed that Russia’s economic situation is still better than the average of European and American countries.
Putin said that in the early stage of the epidemic, Russia took active action, sealed borders, carried out screenings, and invested heavily in the fight against the epidemic. He praised the country’s anti-epidemic work and health system.
Russian political scientist Oleg Matvechev said in an interview with reporters that compared with some countries in Europe and the United States, Russia’s GDP has declined less this year. At the same time, there is no instability in the Russian economy, and the government provides stable support to the people and is fulfilling all social responsibilities. President Putin’s relevant statement at the press conference is aimed at sending a signal to the Russian people that the situation in Russia is under control and he is confident in the future development of the country.
Vasily Kashin, an expert at the Center for European and International Integral Studies at the Russian Institute of Higher Economics, said he agreed with President Putin. International oil prices remain relatively high under the epidemic conditions, which is beneficial to Russia, the oil-producing country. Although Russia has suffered from the decline of foreign labor force, domestic construction and agriculture have withstood this test.” Therefore, we are optimistic about the future to a certain extent.”
Express your will to talk with the United States
Speaking of Russia-US relations, Putin said that Russia did not intervene in the US presidential election. He hopes that U.S. President-elect Biden can use his own experience to clarify and start to solve the problems between the two countries. He also said that Russia was ready to engage in dialogue with the United States on the extension of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, but needed a response from the United States.
Analysts pointed out that Russia has always been unwilling to confront the United States, and has repeatedly expressed its willingness to dialogue with the United States, especially repeatedly proposed to the United States to extend the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. Putin’s above-mentioned statement once again expressed this position.
Kaschen believes that Russia and the United States have the possibility of extending the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty for a certain period of time, but there are still fundamental contradictions between the two countries. In the future, bilateral relations may improve locally in individual areas such as arms control, but the overall approach of the United States to contain Russia will not change, and it is difficult for the two countries to make substantial improvements in relations.
Alexei Muchin, director of the Russian Political Information Center, said that the conflict between Russia and the United States was provoked by the United States, and Russia had to respond to the challenges of the United States and other countries. Whether the new strategic arms reduction treaty will be extended is uncertain at present, and the people in the United States who want to extend the treaty are minorities.
Highly appraise Russia-China relations
In response to relevant questions, Putin stressed that Russia and China have common interests in many fields, the leaders of the two countries maintain mutual trust and pragmatic relations, and relations between the two sides at all levels are also developing steadily.
Analysts pointed out that Russia and China have maintained good bilateral relations for many years, and under the joint leadership of the leaders of the two countries, the level of political mutual trust and strategic cooperation between the two sides has continued to improve. Putin’s evaluation is not only a true reflection of the current situation of bilateral relations, but also reflects the great importance he attaches to bilateral relations.
Kashin said that Russia and China are expanding cooperation, carrying out a series of joint studies to help each other and adopt a consistent political position on major issues. The trade between the two countries has also shown relative stability. He believes that the Russian-Chinese will continue to cooperate and cooperate with the rest of the world, and the two countries will play a greater role in stability in the world.
Muhsin said that under the epidemic, many mechanisms of the globalization process have been destroyed, and many countries have realized that mutual support must be used to overcome difficulties.
At present, the world is on the threshold of restarting the system of international relations in order to make it more equitable. Russia and China are equal participants in this restart process. As long as the relationship between the two countries is based on mutual respect, the two sides can move forward side by side.
